Water skates



Oct. 29, 1963 c. A. v. SMITH 3,108,296

WATER SKATES Filed June 16, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.6. 32 3O 31 26 27 INVENTOR AT ToR EY Oct; 29, 1963 c. A. v. SMITH ,296

WATER SKATES Filed June 16, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.9.

FlG.10. v

W giiilfiww ATTORNEY C. A. V. SMITH WATER SKATES.

Oct. 29, 1.963

Filed June 16, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 13.

PIC-3.15.

. INVENTOR ATT RNEY United States Patent 3,108,296 WATER SKATES Charies Aquiia Vincent Smith, 50 Knights Bridge Court, Sioane St, London, Engiand Filed dune 16, 1360, Set. No. 36,517 7 Claims. (Cl. 9- 310) This invention relates to water skates, that is to say, to buoyant structures for attachment to the feet of a water skater to enable him to walk on water or to perform skating-like movements on the surface of water.

According to the present invention there is provided a water skate comprising a structure arranged to receive a foot of the water skater, and further comprising buoyancy means and keel means.

The buoyancy means may include a rigid hollow member formed with a well for accommodating a foot of the water skater; they may comprise collapsible fioat members made of resilient material, or they may have two inflatable float members, one fore and one aft of the water skaters foot.

The structure arranged to receive a foot of the skater may comprise a shaped member of resilient low density material, such as foam rubber, arranged to accommodate a foot of the Water skater snugly, or the skate may have boot-like footwear secured thereto to receive a foot of the skater. The skate may comprise a splash guard member to protect the legs of the water skater.

The skate may conveniently comprise rigid protective means arranged to protect a bow portion of the skate against excessive pressure effects acting on the buoyancy means in the vicinity of the bow portion, and the skate preferably comprises means for offering resistance to rearward movement and less resistance to forward movement.

The means for offering resistance may comprise a hydrofoil member arranged to be submerged during use and to present a closed front, an open rear, and an open side opposite to that side closed by the adjacent wall of the water skate, and valve means may be provided to place the space enclosed by the hydrofoil member in communication with the atmosphere, whereby walking movement of the water skater is facilitated.

Alternatively the means for offering resistance may comprise a duct, a flap valve located in the duct and arranged to admit water to the duct during forward movement of the skate, and to exclude water from the duct during rearward movement of the skate. The means for offering resistance may conveniently be detachable.

The keel means may be arranged in relation to the skate in such a way that when the keel is vertical, the sole of the foot of the water skater is inclined upwardly and out wardly in the lateral sense, while the skate may in addition comprise an auxiliary keel arranged on one side of said keel means, whereby the purchase of a water skater against the water is increased. The keel means may conveniently comprise a holiow keel acting as an additional buoyancy chamber to assist the buoyancy means.

A pole having at each end an airtight chamber, such as a rubber bulb, to assist a water skater in steadying himself may be provided.

A pair of water skates according to the invention may include hydrofoil members and means whereby the skates may be detachably secured together to form a catamaran; the catamaran so formed may in addition be provided with an aerofoil member.

Various embodiments of water skates according to the present invention will now be particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of a first embodiment of a water skate;

FIGURE 2 is a plan thereof;

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FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation of a second embodiment showing the arrangement of a plurality of keel members;

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of a third embodiment of a water skate having separate buoyancy tanks and means whereby the skate may be used for Walking on water;

FIGURE 5 is a plan thereof;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan thereof;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan of a modified form of a skate having means whereby the skate may be used for walking on water;

FIGURE 8 is an elevation of a fifth embodiment of a water skate incorporating alternative means for enabling the skate to be used for walking on water;

FIGURE 9 is a bottom plan thereof;

FIGURE 10 is an elevation, partly in section, of a water skate incorporating means for accommodating the water skaters foot;

FIGURE 11 is an elevation of a steadying pole for steadying a water skater;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic elevation of a pair of water skates coupled together to form a catamaran;

FIGURE 13 is a diagrammatic plan of the catamaran according to FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a diagrammatic elevation of a further catamaran provided with hydrofoils and an aerofoil memher, and

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan thereof, with the seat removed.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, one of a pair of water skates comprises a hull 20 made of glass fibre reinforced resin. The hull 20 is hollow, and is provided with a well 21 arranged to accommodate the foot of a water skater. Although a water skater could possibly use the skate without a well 21, the provision of the well platform 22 at a level below the deck 23 of the hull 20 causes the force of the water skaters weight to apply at a lower level in relation to the surface of the water 24, thus helping to increase the stability of the water skate. Binding means (not shown) are provided in association with the Well 21 to secure the water skaters foot to the hull 20 of the Water skate.

In FIGURE 3 a water skate similar to the one shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 is provided with a main keel 25 in the form of a plate-like member, and with two auxiliary bilge keels 25a and 25!), also formed of plate-like members, it having been found that the presence of such auxiliary keels 25a and 25b assists a water skater in obtaining improved purchase on the water when desiring to perform a water skating movement. The well platform 22 is arranged in relation to the main keel 25 so that when the keel 25 is vertical, the sole of the foot of the water skater is inclined upwardly and outwardly in the lateral sense.

A third embodiment of a water skate according to the invention is shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, and-consists of a base board .26 having permanently secured thereto, as for example by a known water insoluble adhesive, buoyancy means comprising a bow tank 27 and a stern tank 28, both tanks being inflatable. The bow and stem tanks 27 and 28 are shaped so as to include therebetween a space 29 roughly in the shape of a forward pointing V, whereby the resistance to forward movement of the water skate in the water is reduced, while resistance to rearward movement is increased. The bow tank 27 is further shaped so as to include the foot space 29a and means (not shown) for securing the water skaters (foot in the foot space 29a are arranged in association with the rear end of the bow tank 27 and the forward end of the stern tank 28.

Means for offering resistance to rearward movement and less resistance to forward movement are provided on the bottom of the base board 26 in the form of a hydrofoil member 39 presenting a closed front portion 31, an open rear portion 32, and a side portion 33 open opposite to that side portion closed by the adjacent underside of the base board 26. When the water skate is moved forwardly, the hydrodynamic characteristics of the hydrofoil member cause the entire skate to offer a certain resistance to movement, but this resistance is less than the resistance offered to rearward movetl'llBIlt. The hydrofoil member 30 is made of resilient glass fibre reinforced synthetic resin, so that when the water skater takes a step forward with his left leg, the hydrofoil member 30 of the right leg, being thrust back- Wardly as a reaction to the forward movement of the left leg, flares outwardly at its rear portion 32. It has been found that this phenomenon improves resistance to rearward motion of the skate in Water.

A modification of the propulsion means described with reference to FIGURES 4 to 6 is shown in FIGURE 7, the modification consisting of a valve 34 arranged to allow fluid to pass from the top of the base board 26 to the area within the hydrofoil member 30 and to prevent any fiow of fluid in the opposite direction. Resistance to forward motion is thereby further reduced by the admission of air from the atmosphere under the action of the suction created in the space enclosed by the hydrofoil member 30 when the water skate is moved forwardly.

Referring now to FIGURES 8 and 9 of the drawings, a further embodiment of one of a pairof water skates includes a bow tank 27 and a stern tank 28 separated by a foot space 29 in the same way as described with reference to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings. The bow tank 27 and stem tank 28 are again mounted on a base board 26.

A different kind of means for offering resistance to rearward movement of the skate and less resistance to forward movement are provided in this embodiment in the form of a tube-like duct member 37 attached to the underside of the base board 26 and closed at the forward end by an end wall 38 provided with a flap valve 39, the rear end 40 of the tube-like duct member 37 being left open for the free passage of water. As the water skate is moved rearwardly, the flap valve 39 closes and thus offers resistance to further rearward movement of the Water skate in much the same manner as the fur on ski-skins operates to give resistance to downhill motion to a skier trying to climb snowy slopes of a mountainside without sliding down the incline. It has been found, however, that in a manner not as yet fully understood or explained, the presence of the tube-like duct member 37 substantially increases the resistance to backward motion of the water skate when compared to the resistance offered when a flap-valve 39 alone is used, it is thought that the inertia of the mass of water contained in the tube-like duct member 37 may be contributing substantially to this phenomenon.

An ordinary water ski adapted as a water skate according to the present invention is shown in FIGURE 10. The Water ski 41 is fitted on the underside with resistance means 42 similar to the means shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 at 37, 38, 39 and 40, and on its upper side is provided with a bow tank 27 and a stern tank 28. A foot space 28 defined by the internal wall of a foamrubber insert 43 between the bow tank 27 and stern tank 28 allows easy control and manipulation of the water skate on the foot of the water skater, while splashes liable to interfere with the water skaters clothing are intercepted by means of a splash guard 44 surrounding the foam-rubber insert 43 and extending a safe distance above the upper level 45 of the water skate.

In order to steady himself in his progress over the water, a water skater may use a steadying pole having a rubber bulb at each end as shown in FIGURE 11.

Referring to FIGURES 12 and 13, a pair of water skates 46 and 47 are detachably secured together to form the hull of a catamaran. An outboard motor 48 serves as a preferred propulsion unit, although a pedal driven paddle could be employed instead. A seat 49 is arranged roughly above the propulsion unit 48, and hydrofoil members 50 and 51 are provided 'fore and aft underneath each skate to improve the hydrodynamic properties of the catamaran.

The same pair of skates when fitted together to form a catamaran is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 fitted with an aerofoil member 52.

I claim:

1. A water skate comprising elongated buoyancy means, means centrally disposed in the buoyancy means for receiving the foot of a skater with the sole of the foot substantially at the bottom of the buoyancy means, and keel means rigidly connected to the bottom of the buoyancy means and projecting below the buoyancy means, said keel means including two substantially parallel and vertical blades joined at their forward edges by an arcuate blade portion to provide a U-shaped heel with the concave sides facing aft.

2. A water skate comprising elongated buoyancy means, means centrally disposed in the elongated buoyancy means for receiving the foot of a skater with the sole of the foot substantially at the bottom of the buoyancy means, and keel means rigidly connected to the bottom of the skate and projecting below same, said keel means including two substantially parallel and vertical blades joined at their lower edges by a transverse portion to provide an untapered U-shaped channel extending longitudinally along said skate.

3. A water skate according to claim 2 and further comprising valve means adapted to permit water flow through said channel on forward motion of the skate and retard Water flow on backing motion of the skate.

4. Water skating apparatus comprising at least one skate, the skate comprising a base board, foot receiving means on said base board intermediate the ends thereof, a bow buoyancy tank mounted on said base board ahead of said foot receiving means, a separate stern buoyancy tank mounted on said base board abaft said foot receiving means, and keel means rigidly connected to and beneath the base board, said keel means comprising an arcuate plate having a convex side facing forward and a concave side facing aft.

5. Water skating apparatus comprising at least one skate, the skate comprising a base board, foot receiving means on said base board intermediate the ends thereof, a bow buoyancy tank mounted on said base board ahead of said foot receiving means, a separate stern buoyancy tank mounted on said base board abaft said foot receiving means, and keel means rigidly connected to and beneath the base board, said keel means comprising a U-shaped member having a channel, said channel extending longitudinally along said skate.

6. Water skating apparatus comprising at least one skate, the skate comprising an elongated fiat base board, foot receiving means on said base board intermediate the ends thereof, an inflatable bow buoyancy tank mounted on said base board ahead of said foot receiving means, a separate inflatable stern buoyancy tank mounted on said base board albacft said foot receiving means, and keel means rigidly connected to and beneath the base board, said keel means comprising two substantially parallel and longitudinally extending vertical blades joined to the base board, and an arcuate blade portion joined at corresponding edges of said blades to form a U-shape.

7. Water skating apparatus comprising at least one skate, said skate comprising an elongated fiat base board, foot receiving means on said base board intermediate the longitudinal ends thereof, a bow buoyancy tank mounted on said base board ahead of said foot receiving means, a separate stern buoyancy tank mounted on said base board abaft said foot receiving means, and keel means rigidly connected to and beneath the base board, the said keel means including two swbstantially parallel and 1ongitndina-l-ly extending vertical blades joined at their corresponding upper edges to the base board, and an arcuate blaide portion joining one other edge of one of the blades to the corresponding edge of the other blade to form a U-shape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,533,023 Meredith Apr. 7, 1925 1,540,623 Hashimoto June 2, 1925 1,692,055 Sheldon Nov. 20, 1928 1,693,867 Reinwaid Dec. 4, 1928 6 Keene Dec. 11, 1928 Silvern-ail Apr. 7, 1936 Aug. 14, 1945 Lippincott Nov. 16, 1954 Fournier June 14, 1960 Youtie Nov. 8, 1960 Fines Apr. 3, 1962 Brabb May 1, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS France Nov. 12, 1924 Great Britain Oct. 12, 1933 France July 30, 1956 France Feb. 2 2, 1960' 

1. A WATER SKATE COMPRISING ELONGATED BUOYANCY MEANS, MEANS CENTRALLY DISPOSED IN THE BUOYANCY MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE FOOT OF A SKATER WITH THE SOLE OF THE FOOT SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BUOYANCY MEANS, AND KEEL MEANS RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BUOYANCY MEANS SAID PROJECTING BELOW THE BUOYANCY MEANS, SAID KEEL MEANS INCLUDING TWO SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL AND VERTICAL BLADES JOINED AT THEIR FORWARD EDGES BY AN ARCUATE BLADE PORTION TO PROVIDE A U-SHAPED HEEL WITH THE CONCAVE SIDES FACING AFT. 